Cultural History: George Washington's Character

I just realized how long it's been since I posted something on here.  I will write something newly original at some point in the near future.  At the moment, the paper that I wrote about George Washington and the British public's perception of him during the Revolutionary War should serve as an interesting diversion.  I just read a Snapple cap about George Washington and how he was the only US president to be elected unanimously.  This unique occurrence was due to his personality and modesty.  This paper goes a long way to show how he developed that personality and how it endeared him to others.

The inspiration for this paper came from  General Howe's Dog: George Washington, the Battle for Germantown and the Dog Who Crossed Enemy Lines, which provided a prime example of Washington's chivalry and civility.  The incident described in the book prompted me to closely examine Washington's character and to attempt to gain a better understanding of one of our country's most beloved presidents and founding fathers.  This essay will be of great interest to dwellers of the Germantown/Philadelphia are because it will provide them with a better understanding of the region's role in the Revolutionary War.

George Washington, a British Cincinatus

The outbreak of the American War for Independence placed the citizens of Great Britain in a unique and uncomfortable position.  The explosion of colonial resistance to British imposed taxes and the quick escalation from peaceful protests to armed struggles, especially in the northern colonies, during the early 1770s forced the English populace to confront the possibility of war against the colonists, who were still commonly viewed as British subjects.  Though the majority of Britons supported the effort to crush the rebellion and disliked the Continental Congress, many admired and even praised George Washington for his genteel manner on and off the field of battle.  Incidents, such as his quick return of General William Howe’s dog following the Battle of Germantown, served only to increase the admiration of the British press and public for the rebellion’s general.  In essence, the British attitudes concerning George Washington’s conduct during the Battle of Germantown and the affair of Howe’s dog resulted from his gentlemanly manners and ultimately reflect the ambivalence of Britons towards Washington and the Revolutionary War itself.

Throughout the American War for Independence the British media depicted George Washington as a classic English-American gentleman and the model of civilian virtue, a sentiment largely echoed by the English public and an image carefully maintained by Washington during his life.  Born into a middling “aristocratic” Virginia family, Washington spent his entire life cultivating the manners necessary to operate in the upper class society of American gentry and British aristocracy to which he belonged.  Though his father’s premature death when he was eleven years old prevented him from receiving a gentleman’s education in England like his two elder half-brothers, Washington taught himself the basics of math, geography, history, and perhaps Latin (Zagarri as cited in Sayen 8).  His self-instruction included transcribing the 110 “Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour In Company and Conversation,” a series of guidelines for the correct behavior of gentlemen as derived from an English courtesy book published in 1640, which itself was a translation of a French work created for the education of noble boys, at the age of twelve (Sayen 9).  These rules would continue to influence Washington’s actions both on and off the battlefield until the end of his life.

George Washington’s eagerness to master the complex rules of etiquette surrounding the proper behavior of gentlemen stemmed from his ambition to become an officer in the British army like his older half-brother Lawrence Washington, who became his stand in father.  His diligence was soon rewarded, for Washington’s careful adherence to the “Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour In Company and Conversation,” the tips for proper dressing, speaking, and deference to those of higher rank it described, impressed Colonel William Fairfax, Washington’s family because of Lawrence’s marriage to one of his daughters, and his cousin Lord Thomas Fairfax (Tiger 20-21).  Their patronage and the prestige and power associated with the Fairfax name in Virginia and the colonies laid the foundation for Washington’s future career as a commander in the Virginia militia and confidant of the colony’s acting governor (Sayen 18-21).  Though his military career under the British during the French and Indian War was plagued by several misfortunes and Washington’s disappointment over British reluctance to recognize his roles in their successes in the Ohio Valley against the French, it, along with his high status in Virginia, earned him a seat in the Second Continental Congress, where he was named Commander of the Continental Army (Tiger 56).  Thus, Washington’s road to revolution started with his consciously cultivated gentility.

Naturally Washington was viewed to be, “ . . . A compleat gentleman.  He is sinsible, amiable, virtuous, modest, and brave,” by his peers among the delegates to the Continental Congress (Cushing as cited in Sayen 36).  However, in a unique show of consensus, an overwhelming majority of Britons, regardless of their personal and/or political feelings about the American War for Independence, believed George Washington to be the paragon of military leadership as well.  To the British press and public he was, “The American Cincinnatus” (Bickham 101).  This veneration arose, in part, because he symbolized the conflict that was raging in many British citizens during the Revolutionary war.  Despite his status as Commander of the Continental Army in a conflict that most Britons believed would destroy the empire, Washington, as a successful member of Virginia’s aristocracy, was more similar to the gentry farmers who dominated the House of Commons than his British peers.  His letters, which were widely circulated by British newspapers, and the careful politeness and public virtue they displayed increased his favorable perception in England (Bickham 101-102).

While a large number of Britons may have sympathized with the Americans because they, shared, “ . . . A common political heritage,” only a small minority openly championed the caused of the American patriots.  However, “ . . . Even most London radicals - among the most vocal sympathizers with the American cause,” only lent their support to the patriots because they believed it would aid them in their political aims to oust the North administration (Bickham 103 and Langford as cited in Bickham 103).  Despite the political wrangling that surrounded the war and the issues it raised, Washington’s character remained untarnished.  As public interest in George Washington and his life, which had been sparked by news of his appointment as the American military commander, grew, his portrayal by the British press remained generally favorable.  A perfect example is an article, published in October 1775 in Scots Magazine, that, while openly critical of the patriots, stated of Washington: “He is a man of sense and great integrity; he is polite, though rather reserved; he is now in the prime of his life, an exceeding fine figure, (at least six feet hight), and a very good countenance.  There is much dignity and modesty in manner” (Scots Magazine as cited in Bickham 108).  Washington’s high standing in England was furthered by positive coverage of his speeches in the British newspapers, which emphasized his modesty, willingness to follow orders from the Continental Congress, and obvious lack of ambition (Bickham 108).

Though his genteel manners and apparent lack of political ambition were enough to gain Washington the favor of the British press and public, he won further praise for his generosity towards his enemies.  While more famous examples of Washington’s mercy towards his opponents exist, the little known incident of General Howe’s dog grants the best glimpse into his continued courtesy towards his adversaries despite the civil war context in which he was fighting (Bickham 113).  It was during the confusion of the Battle of Germantown that General Howe’s personal dog, “ . . . A little fox terrier, as the lore goes,” escaped (Tiger 94).  He was discovered by American soldiers following their twenty-five mile march to Pennypacker’s Mill in Schwenksville after their defeat at Germantown.  The soldiers, having discovered via an inscription on his collar that the dog belonged to General William Howe, carried him to George Washington’s headquarters.  Despite an officer’s suggestion that the dog serve as a mascot for the army, Washington, as required by the rules of war, which, “. . . Stated that soldiers could be taken prisoner but that a man’s personal property should be returned,” sent one of his men as an envoy with the dog to Howe’s headquarters at Stenton (Tiger 94-95).  Howe, impressed  and pleased by the safe restoration of his dog and Washington’s polite note, which read, “General Washington’s compliments to General Howe, does himself the pleasure to return him a Dog, which accidentally fell into his hands, and by the inscription on the collar, appears to belong to General Howe” (Washington as cited in Tiger 95), declared Washington’s action to be, “ . . . an honorable act of a gentleman” (Howe as cited in Tiger 97).  Washington’s full intentions in restoring Howe’s dog remain unsure, however, it was certainly a manifestation of his enduring adherence to the gentleman’s code and the “Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation” number 110 of which admonished, “Labour to keep alive in your Breast that Little Spark of Ce[les]tial fire Called Conscience” (Tiger 98).  

As the war continued following the Battle of Germantown, British dissatisfaction with its military leaders, “ . . . Who were thought to be wholly lacking in the celebrated civic virtues of the heroes of the Roman and Greek republics,” grew (Bickham 113).  Washington’s favorable image was due, in part, to this disaffection, which spanned the entire Revolutionary War and affected each of the British commanders in chief.  Though General Thomas Gage, Washington’s first counterpart, was much criticized as incompetent, Howe was met with greater ridicule by the British media.  In spite of his numerous military victories over Washington, he gained little favor with the public.  Instead, the British scorned Howe following his capture of New York for allowing Washington to escape and held him responsible for the American victory at Saratoga, news of which overshadowed his triumph in Philadelphia (Bickham 115).  In short, disparagement of British commanders by a public already disenchanted by the incompetency of Gage grew to unprecedented levels under Howe, and statements such as, “The loss of America, the ruin of your country’s greatness, an indelible disgrace fixed upon the honour of its arms, the lives of many brave men sacrificed to no purpose . . . these, Sir, form the melancholy catalogue of your achievements,” became common (Caledonian Mercury as cited in Bickham 115).  Thus, British citizens, “Unable to find a Cincinnatus among their own generals . . . increasingly turned to Washington for the exemplary hero who served his country rather than himself” (Bickham 116).

While Washington was surely unaware or only had limited knowledge of his positive standing in Britain and the reasons behind it, he certainly knew the affects his actions had upon the opinions of the American colonists.  To gain the favor of colonists and the members of the Continental Congress in addition to, “ . . . Fulfill his own sense of how a commander should behave,” Washington, “ . . . Fashioned himself as a citizen-soldier, ever ready to fight for his country without any expectation of material reward” (Bickham 121).  Thus, the two integral features of Washington’s character that most impressed the British public, his concern for courtesy and reputation, which, “ . . . Tamed and smoothed his natural endowments and brought his ideas into daily life,” were developed to gain American goodwill (Brookhiser 156 as cited in Sayen 826).  It was Washington’s final action as commander of the Continental Army, his disbanding of the army at the end of the American War for Independence and departure to Mount Vernon, however, that secured his status as a hero and the symbol of the Anglo-American understanding of civic virtue (Bickham 121).  Because, “ . . . He really put himself on the line, his time, potentially his life, his reputation, over and over again, because he really believed in this experiment, and he was determined to make it work,” Washington gained a reputation as a selfless man willing to place his country’s well-being above his own in the colonies (Gergen).  Knowledge of Washington’s lack of ambition spread to England, where it increased British admiration for him.

On the whole, the favorable portrayal of George Washington by the British press and the hero-worship he received from the British public were due to his careful cultivation of his genteel manners and his unswerving adherence to the “Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation.”  While the British military commanders were making fundamental mistakes that allowed Washington to escape their grasp on multiple occasions and permitting their politics to interfere with tactical decisions - Howe’s reluctance to pursue Washington after defeating him in battle may have sprung from his Whig leanings - Washington earned British favor for his submission to the Continental Congress, his lack of ambition, and his generosity towards his enemies (Tiger 26).  The easy admiration of Britons for Washington and their development of him into their “Cincinnatus” when lacking in a suitable British candidate ultimately betrays the conflict of interest waging in British hearts during the American War for Independence.  In the end, the English idolized Washington because he was a combination of British gentility and American civic virtue.

W

Works Cited

Bickham, Troy O. “Sympathizing with Sedition? George Washington, the British Press, and British Attitudes during the American War of Independence.” The William and Mary Quarterly 59.1 (2002): 101-122. JSTOR. 6 Nov. 2008 .

Brookhiser, Richard. Interview with David Gergen. NewsHour. PBS. 28 Mar. 1996. Transcript. 17 Dec. 2008 .

Sayen, W Guthrie. Rev. of Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington, by Richard Brookhiser. The William and Mary Quarterly 3rd ser. 53.4 (1996): 826-827. JSTOR. 17 Dec. 2008 .

Sayen, William Guthrie. “George Washington’s ‘Unmannerly’ Behavior: The Clash Between Civility and Honor.” The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 107.1 (1999): 2+5-36. JSTOR. 10 Nov. 2008 .

Tiger, Caroline. General Howe’s Dog: George Washington, the Battle of Germantown and the Dog Who Crossed Enemy Lines. New York: Penguin Group, 2005.

Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Disney

I've always been a huge fan of fairytales and the magical romances of the Disney movies. Not only did they provide me with examples of strong women who fought for what they believed, but they encouraged me to believe in magic and the innate goodness of humanity. So, when the time came for me to write my college application essay - a one page/500 word summary of my "self" - it only seemed natural to write about my childhood hero. Indeed, despite all of the things I've been lucky enough to see and experience, writing about the Disney "princess" that I most looked up to and what watching Disney movies had taught me.

I suppose that the now classic animated Disney movies were to my generation what the Harry Potter movies have become for the current one, an entertaining method for teaching young children the value of friendship, love, loyalty, and love in a society where the primary emphasis is placed on ambition and success. I remember worshipping the spirited and courageous heroines of the Disney movies because each - Pocahontas, Mulan, Ariel, and Jasmine - valiantly fought for their beliefs and dreams. It didn’t hurt that they always discovered true love and a handsome man along the way. Though all of these female protagonists provided prime positive examples for my pre-K and kindergarten aged self, I particularly admired Belle from "Beauty and the Beast."

Despite being a Disney movie junky from an early age - I first saw "Aladdin" when I was three years old - and religiously watching each subsequent movie, first in the movie theater, and then repetitively at home, I did not discover my idol until what seemed to be many years later. Oh how quickly I deified her! I remember the excitement that permeated through me, the heady adrenalin rush that swamped my six year old mind as I feverishly bounded downstairs on that Christmas morning. I zoned in on the large pink box which dominated the center of my present pile, sparing nary a glance for the other presents, and prayed fervently that Santa had granted the wish that I had so carefully and secretively whispered in his ear at my parents’ company Christmas party. Scarcely daring to hope, I carefully opened the box and emitted a joyful shriek. He had!

I carefully drew the towel - that fluffy shining reflection of simple joy - which depicted that legendary scene from "Beauty and the Beast" in which Belle has finally fallen in love with the Beast, in spite of his hideousness, and in which he presents her with the rose that symbolizes his life and soul, and proudly displayed it for my parents and grandparents. My mother, capitalizing on my delight, used the moment to take a picture of me, for which I willingly posed. That towel must have been something special because I hated pictures and avoided them at all costs; I still do. I still have that picture, and every time I look at it I remember one of the isolated days on which I was truly and utterly contented. And it was all because of a towel which still sits in our hallway linen closet, a silent reminder of the power of love and courage.

I don’t really know why I felt such a strong connection to Belle. Perhaps it was because, like me, she possessed brunette hair and hazel eyes. Maybe it was her fondness for reading and good books that I too exhibited, even at that early age. In fact, one of my favorite moments from the movie occurs when she falls into a fountain while walking through town because she was too engrossed in her book. I still love her gentle, self-deprecating laugh when she realizes her predicament upon the transformation of her book into a meal for the sheep that also contributed to her tumble. However, I truly believe that I revered Belle above the other Disney “princesses” because she, unlike my timid and shy self, sacrificed her freedom for her father’s well-being and boldly stood up to the Beast’s fury, but eventually found the courage to forgive him and to give him her heart.

I'm a Patriot, I Swear

I wrote this personal essay during my first semester English class, which revolved around the experience of being a stranger in a strange land. If anyone is a Patriots - or even a Colts - fan, I'd love to hear your feedback.

I never really considered myself a, dare I say it, stranger in a strange land until a few years ago. While horseback riders have always been rare at GA and not everyone walking around is as obsessed with school work as I am, I never once felt remotely out of place. I will admit that being one the few people who spends the majority of their free time in the Student Publications Room, more commonly known as the Pub Room, can be fairly isolating. Nevertheless, there were others like me. However, that all changed when I succumbed to the temptation of football and, almost literally, fell in love with the New England Patriots.

I can’t pinpoint the exact moment when I became the biggest football fan in my family, though I believe it was around five years ago. I had always avoided football, and pretty much every other professional sport, on principle because I found the zeal of all sports fans disturbing - if you know any Red Sox fans you’ll understand why - and impractical. I don’t approve of sports rivalries in general, after years of dealing with, first, my father’s obsessive hatred of the Yankees, and then my brother’s. There were much more important things happening in the world than whether the Phillies beat the Mets or the Red Sox beat the Yankees. This feeling soon gave way, like a pile of flour when water is added, before the charm and obvious ability of the New England team.

I wish I could explain my insane attraction to the Patriots; it certainly isn’t because of Bill Belichick’s appealing on-field style or his charming personality. I will acknowledge that it partly stems from the presence of Tom Brady. Despite Brady’s incredible handsomeness and masterful ability for understanding the mechanics of football, there were always deeper reasons. One of those, perhaps why I truly love the team, is the fact that the Patriots are a team of strong individuals with inspirational stories. I still remember hearing the news of Tedy Bruschi’s stroke only a few days after the Pats had won their third Superbowl in four years. At that moment it felt as if my entire existence stood still for a few seconds. To me, and probably to every other Patriots fan, it was even more shocking because we had just watched our defense led by Bruschi successfully prevent the Philadelphia Eagles from winning their first championship game in several years. Interestingly, our neighbors had a Superbowl Party that day and the cheers and boos formed a chorus worthy round.

From all early reports it appeared that Bruschi’s long and successful football career had ended when he was only 32 years old. However, in the months that followed, he, with his team rallied behind him, achieved one of the greatest comebacks in sports history when he returned to the game on October 29, 2005. That day, Bruschi received a standing ovation, and his renewed fervor and focus allowed the Patriots to overcome the Buffalo Bills via two late touchdowns. In essence, his return solidified the shaky start to the 2005-2006 season. I believe the whole Patriots nation breathed a collective sight of relief as they watched Bruschi not only survive the game, but dominate it. This, and other similar stories, is what makes the Pats the greatest team in the NFL.

Needless to say, my unapologetic support for the Pats doesn’t endear me to football fans at my school, especially since it's in the middle of Eagles’ country. It is an extremely isolating feeling to walk through a hallway of forest green in a navy jersey. After multiple years of hearing boos and insulting remarks about my team in the hallway whenever I sport a Pats jersey I have become immune to the animosity. After all, nobody ever says anything that I haven’t heard a million times before.

The discovery that a member of the Pats staff was videotaping the signals made by the defensive coach during their first game against the Jets did little to improve my standing among my peers. As the so-called Spygate scandal expanded, growing as rapidly and profusely as a mint plant in nutrient rich soil, my world seemed to tremble for a moment as cracks formed in its foundation. Was everything I had ever stood for true? How far had Bill Belichick gone to win? Yes, I didn’t love the man, but would he knowingly cheat to create a dynasty? I am ashamed to disclose that these thoughts swirled around my head like a carousel in the weeks following the Week One. Despite my many questions about the management’s actions, I never once doubted the integrity of the Pats players. To me, in spite of everything, Bill Belichick remained the genius who had orchestrated my team’s improbable rise to glory from literally nothing. I chose to accept his explanation concerning the making of the tapes at face value and readied myself for the remaining part of the season.

Of course, the scandal didn’t end there. Not at all. While I was making my peace with Belichick and the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was determining the extent of the issue, wild speculations continued to fly. It seemed that every day new teams were declaring the Pats had beaten them because their signals had been videotaped. Naturally, the Eagles were one of those teams. Though the players had never before even dared whisper of a possible conspiracy, they now loudly proclaimed that they had been robbed of their Superbowl - Donovan McNabb the loudest of them all. As my friends and teachers, particularly Mr. Martin, gleefully asserted that the Eagles had only lost because the Pats had cheated, I couldn’t help but shake my head in wonder. Their stubborn refusal to accept that their team had lost in 2005 was comical. No matter what words proceeded from Donovan McNabb’s mouth, the allegations couldn’t change the past. It was only a sad attempt to distract the fans from the fact that their team was playing incredibly poorly that year. Yet, I was the only one who seemed to realize this.

The 2007 season was probably the most difficult for all members of Pats nation, especially for me. Not only had our head coach thrown every past AFC championship and Superbowl into doubt, but he had completely destroyed the league’s already shaky respect for our team just to beat Eric Mangini, his old nemesis and former protégé. As the season continued, however, we recovered. While each subsequent win returned my faith and those of my fellow fans, those of the NFL’s other teams, regardless of division, became increasingly hostile. My favorite Eagles fans were no different.

Before each game I was subjected to terrible criticisms of the players that I adored. Accusations of cheating aside, I was still treated to the traditional, “The Patriots Stink,” comments and the inevitable outraged, “how can you even think to support the Patriots? What about the Eagles?” questions. Even my friends joined the fray when the Pats reached the Superbowl. Those who didn’t even care a whit about football suddenly declared their allegiance to the Giants, never mind that they are division rivals of the Eagles. It was then that I fully recognized the extent of the hatred of Eagles fans for my beloved team. Until Superbowl XLII I had just attributed the derogatory comments to jealousy. After all, how many times had the Eagles reached the NFC championship, let alone the Superbowl, in recent years? The pats may have lost to the Giants in Superbowl XLII, but their perfect regular season and easy domination over each their opponents added to their reputation for remarkable ability and perseverance.

It’s been strange to see how much football has detached me from my family. Never mind that my dad and brother are supposed to be Pats fans, and my mom, well, she’s not really a sports fan. She’s the type that, if her team is playing when she enters the room, will mutter a quick, “Go Redskins,” and then skedaddle. To say that she’s a “fair weather fan” doesn’t cover it. Whenever the Pats play a game now, it feels like I’m the only one in the room cheering for our defense/offense and jeering the opposing team. What really bothers me though, is that my dad is allowed to get angry at the opposing team and mumble obscenities under his breath whenever the Red Sox are losing, especially to the Yankees, but I’m not even permitted one “Damn you.” Talk about double standards. Of course, my brother mimics my dad’s behavior perfectly when it comes to baseball because he’s a little Red Sox zealot in the making. From first hand experience I can say that Christian fundamentalists have nothing on Red Sox fans.

My entrance into the world of sports fans has only confirmed my previous assumptions about their illogical conduct towards their teams and their rivals. However, while I may not be your typical rabid Pats fan, my admiration and love for the team will last far longer than any zealotry because of the reasoning behind them. I guess what it ultimately boils down to isn’t how many Superbowls or championships my team has won - though I will admit the numerous ones the Pats have won are nice - but the quality of my team’s players and how respected they are throughout the football world. Many coaches and experts may dislike Belichick for his skirting of the rules, but they all admit, albeit grudgingly, to the fact that Brady is one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the game. Though my team affiliation has left me a stranger in a strange land, particularly when the Pats played the Eagles in Superbowl XXXIX and the words, “The Patriots suck,” seemed to stick to me in the hallway, I still love the team and its brilliant players with a unique understanding for the mechanics of America’s game.

GO PATRIOTS!!

Secret Rockstar

I call the little things that people, whether they be friends, family, or acquaintances, don't know about me my "secrets." These aren't real secrets in that they aren't facts about myself that I try to hide in plain site from those around me. Rather, they are tastes and penchants for certain things that no one would expect from my outer demeanor.

One of my many "secrets" is that I love the rock star lifestyle and consequently am a huge fan of 80s hair metal and hard rock. In real life I'm a shy and sometimes extremely introverted student more concerned with finishing my homework on time and avoiding detention. However, whenever Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Whitesnake, Guns N' Roses, or any of their contemporaries comes on the radio I am transformed. I sing out loud along with the song word for word because I have many of them on my iPod on continuous rotation; I bob my head with the best of the head bangers; I dream about joining a rock band, though I know I never will.

Though my friends are aware of my chosen types of music and which bands dominate the sound waves emanating from my headphones, they still sometimes express surprise when I share a "new" band that I have "discovered" or mention a fact about one of those bands that I learned while watching VH1. My friend Kathie probably made the most telling comment when she said, upon hearing "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake on my iPod on the way home from Senior Service Day, "Who would have thought that you would like this band?," or something to that effect. I can still picture the cringe on Sarah's face and her quick admonishment to, "Never say that again!" when I mentioned that I find Steven Tyler sexy, even though he's old enough to be my grandfather. Oh well, that's who I am.

Over the years I've seen some amazing concerts by some of by favorite bands/artists, and I've enjoyed each and every one. From Steven Tyler's onstage antics and Joe Perry wailing on his guitar with his shirt to Chad Kroeger asking his tour manager to bring out a bottle of a crown and a bottle of vodka with some glasses for the general admission audience members, I've seen some crazy things. There's something about a rock concert with its party atmosphere and eardrum crushing music that allows you to forget your daily inhibitions and to transform for a couple of hours.

(Saving Abel)

Though I've loved every minute of every concert, the best one I have been to, by far, was Nickelback's performance at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ. I don't know if my sense of anticipation before even entering the venue stemmed from the fact that I was with my best friends celebrating Kathie's birthday or if it was something else, but I found myself relishing every second of the evening. I even enjoyed Seether's performance, which is surprising given that I'm not much into screamo bands. Whatever the reason, the night definitely didn't disappoint me.

(Nickelback)

After decent but underwhelming performances by Saving Abel and Seether, Nickelback upped the ante by huge leaps and bounds, exploding through a cloud of pyrotechnics into a version of "Something in Your Mouth" that was as good as, yet somehow better than, the one on their Dark Horse CD. The set list that followed contained a nice mixture of old favorites and new hits. The performances of "Photograph" and "Savin' Me" drew people to their feet cheering and hollering along, while the playing of "Burn it to the Ground" and "Rockstar" had people dancing in the aisles.

(Seether)

Throughout the entire night Chad remained charming, gladly joking into the microphone about the upcoming song and its often R-rated subject. He had the entire audience hanging on his words and the huge space was filled with laughter following each of his many jokes. His comment about the popularity of "Far Away" with the female members of the audience and how playing it resulted in, "Chicks running back from the bathrooms," elicited cheers and appreciative chuckles from the audience. The greatest moment of the night for those of us watching from the seats above the General Admission section on the floor of the IZOD Center came when, during a break between songs, Chad presented the people crushed along the front of the stage with a bottle of vodka and a bottle of Crown after declaring they looked thirsty and inquiring about their alcohol of choice. Thinking he was joking as he cried out for someone backstage to bring the chosen drinks along with some glasses onstage, my friends and I watched in amazement as the backstage manager, or some roadie, walked onstage and calmly distributed the bottles and glasses. After closing the main part of the show with "This Afternoon," the band returned admist loud cheers to perform a couple more songs for their encore. The concert concluded much as it had begun, with the band disappearing into the blackness after a blast of pyrotechnics.

(Nickelback Leaving)

Walking out after the final number still immersed in the soundless world of post-concert withdrawal, I couldn't help but put this concert at the top of my favorite concert list. The band's obvious love of performing and the music along with Chad's clear love of interacting with the audience placed this concert miles above the rest. My experience convinced me that, not only can Nickelback play rocking songs, they are true rockstars.

More pictures:

Bringing Back Poetry

Everyone suffers delusions of grandeur about being a poet at one point in their life. I realized today that I have been harboring the desire to be the next Wordsworth or Keats, for this academic year was marked by an exponential increase in the number of poems I wrote for my English class. Perhaps my sudden inclination towards poetry, something I have never believed myself to possess any talent for, stemmed from the stress of the college process and the need to get my feelings down on paper in as few words as possible. Whatever the reason I find myself with a great deal of poetry gracing my computer screen and, in an effort to clear it out, I'll share it here one bit at a time. Hopefully this will satisfy my literary ambitions.

These Days
Time slips by in haste
Fragments of sand running through
The twisted vortex of glass
Bearing love away
It never lasts

She carried a basket of books
Tattered primeval fables and fairy tales
Recounting fleeting seasons of change
When life shimmered with promise
Emeralds of hope beneath the sun
Still it’s always a dream

These days scripted reality reigns
Humans step on stage
For a mere fifteen minutes of life
Flaming out before they fade away
No longer angels at dawn
Aspirations of grandeur lost
Amid plunging gossamer feathers
These days survive

Good Food Makes the Day

Personally, I find food to be the ultimate art form because it is so expressive. I have no issues with humanity's traditional modes of self-expression (painting, writing, sculpture, music, etc.) and do not wish to malign the masters of any form, but food, with its involvement of the five senses, possesses a power unparalleled in a world of chaos and the constant need for speed and electronic distraction. The aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies draws everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest grandparent, into the kitchen where they are being removed from the oven. The sight of a bright salad teeming with fresh vegetable and homemade dressing on the glossy page of a cooking magazine grabs the reader's attention and instills in him/her a strong hunger for the promise of spring displayed before them. The sound of homemade burgers sizzling on a charcoal grill on a raging summer afternoon elicits bittersweet memories of childhood barbecues and nights of carefree fun. The feel of a brie's velvety rind speaks of the prosperity that we all crave. The taste of a beef stew that has simmered for hours, its few simple ingredients melding into a complex palette that Shakespeare himself would be at a loss to describe, comforts anyone on a cold winter evening and enfolds him/her in the warmth of a fleece blanket. Food is the common denominator that joins humanity and represents so much more than the tradition behind its creation.

To me food has always been the way that I express my love for my family and friends. As such, I have come to appreciate the importance of good food in my life and to respect and admire those people who put so much effort into crafting the pasta dishes, stews, and pies of the world. I have eaten at many famous restaurants and tasted numerous delicious dishes made by home cooks and celebrity chefs, but the best thing I have ever tasted came in the form of an unassuming and deceptively simple sandwich from Salumi in Seattle, WA.

I am sure that many people have heard of Salumi (its owner is the father of one of America's most notable chefs: Mario Batali). Located on the outskirts of Seattle, Salumi is literally a "hole in the wall" with only a few seats clustered behind the restaurant's long and narrow counter. Though the appearance of this little gem is unassuming at best, the sandwiches, popular cured meats, and long line of customers belie its unadorned exterior. This no-nonsense attitude towards appearances proves that Salumi is truly all about the food.

The sandwich that changed my day, which had been proceeding perfectly apace with Seattle's chilly grey skies, was the porchetta. A combination of braised pork with carrots, fennel seeds, white wine (?), green bell peppers, and onions on a crusty baguette, its warmth and homemade taste perfectly embodied the Italian spirit of cooking and improved my mood as well. Not only did the sandwich's generous size fill my stomach, which was empty because I failed to eat breakfast, but the warmth of the braised pork and the unique complexity of taste acquired by its simple ingredients lifted my light sense of melancholy as hot chocolate drunk after a long afternoon in the snow leaves the child drinking it full of well-being. My porchetta sandwich proved to me that it is truly the little things in life that matter the most, for they can make the day.

A New Beginning

I have to admit that I'm amazed by the audacity of my decision to start a blog, since it implies a certainty in my importance on the world's stage. I don't mean to say that I, as a sentient being capable of forming her own opinions about life's happenings, am unimportant and that my feelings don't matter, just that I am willing to acknowledge that there are others out there who are better equipped to share the details of their lives and offer groundbreaking insight. Yet, I believe that humans gain wisdom and acceptance of the differences of others through reading about their experiences and reactions. So, though it may transform me into an outmoded cliché for practicing it, my belief in the power of writing has led me to abandon my cynicism. I hope that something I write will make a difference in someone's life.